Miracles of JesusSample

Feeding of the 5,000

Whether you’ve grown up in a Christian environment or not, it’s likely you’ll have come across this story–it’s a classic. It’s also the only miracle of Jesus other than the crucifixion that’s recorded in all four Gospels. In scripture, if something is repeated, it often means look closer, and, as I did, I was struck by Jesus’ character and how He chose to walk this earth.

It begins with His grief at the beheading of His cousin and His desire to spend some time resting and eating with His disciples (v31). Then we see His compassion for those "like sheep without a shepherd" (v34). This causes Him to change His plan despite His exhaustion and grief and begin to teach them. Then we see His disciples identify the fact that people were hungry and had nothing to eat. His response … He does not swoop in and save the day. He uses the opportunity to teach them, telling them to "give them something to eat" (v37). When they said this was impossible, He gently nudged them to a possible solution they hadn’t yet considered (v38). He prays over the food and then gives it to the disciples to distribute (v41). His patience did not just extend to the people He had compassion on, but as He taught His disciples as well.

It still amazes me that Jesus came to walk among us, and even more that He chooses to partner with us, just like His disciples!

Written by LUCY WEIL